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Thread: RE: Any amateur ornithologists here . . . I have a question

  1. #1
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    Default RE: Any amateur ornithologists here . . . I have a question

    I realize some folks here are right into nature and so someone might have an answer for me.

    Last year I had a phoebe that built a nest and she successfully raised three babies which promptly took off after they had matured.

    This year the phoebe returned and had three or four babies . . . however this time around there is one baby phoebe that is continuing to return to the empty nest. He/She spends a lot of time hanging out in the nest instead of moving on like the rest of the brood and last year's brood . . . does anyone know if this is normal or atypical behavior and is this something that I should be concerned about?
    "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there is something more important than fear."

    "Death is only one of many ways to die."

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by firefighterjake View Post
    I realize some folks here are right into nature and so someone might have an answer for me.

    Last year I had a phoebe that built a nest and she successfully raised three babies which promptly took off after they had matured.

    This year the phoebe returned and had three or four babies . . . however this time around there is one baby phoebe that is continuing to return to the empty nest. He/She spends a lot of time hanging out in the nest instead of moving on like the rest of the brood and last year's brood . . . does anyone know if this is normal or atypical behavior and is this something that I should be concerned about?
    Probably the best places for bird information are these two sites...

    http://www.birds.cornell.edu/
    http://www.audubon.org/educate/expert/index.php

    they've helped me out a few times with some odd bird questions.

    You can send an email to the cornell people and they usually respond soon with a nice detailed answer.

    (why ask the amatuers when you can go straight to the pros)
    Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.

  3. #3
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    Apr 2008
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    Albion, Maine
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    Quote Originally Posted by firefighterjake View Post
    I realize some folks here are right into nature and so someone might have an answer for me.

    Last year I had a phoebe that built a nest and she successfully raised three babies which promptly took off after they had matured.

    This year the phoebe returned and had three or four babies . . . however this time around there is one baby phoebe that is continuing to return to the empty nest. He/She spends a lot of time hanging out in the nest instead of moving on like the rest of the brood and last year's brood . . . does anyone know if this is normal or atypical behavior and is this something that I should be concerned about?
    This is a sign of the times....kids can't afford to move out as it's too expensive. They end up living in mom and dad's house til they're in their 30's.....
    There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.~~Albert Einstein
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Many wise words are spoken in jest, but they don't compare with the number of stupid words spoken in earnest. - Sam Levenson (1911 - 1980)

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by TRF View Post
    This is a sign of the times....kids can't afford to move out as it's too expensive. They end up living in mom and dad's house til they're in their 30's.....
    lol... you probably just heard a kthunk echoing across the land... that was the sound of my eyes rolling back and hitting the top of my head...
    Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.

  5. #5
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    Unity, Maine
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    Quote Originally Posted by TRF View Post
    This is a sign of the times....kids can't afford to move out as it's too expensive. They end up living in mom and dad's house til they're in their 30's.....
    "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there is something more important than fear."

    "Death is only one of many ways to die."

  6. #6
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    Jun 2007
    Location
    Norway, Maine
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    Another question. We have had a pair of phoebes at our house for 30 years. The original parents can't be living that long. Does that mean that one of the babies and a spouse comes back each year? This year I made the mistake of leaving the garage door up for several days in a row so they nested in there. Had to leave the truck out for 3 weeks so I wouldn't disturb them.

    I can't imagine why one baby would stay so I guess I would have to agree that it is too expensive to move out. Usually ours stay in the nest until one day we walk by and WHOOSH, they go in four different directions never to be seen again.

  7. #7
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    After doing some research I've read that phoebes may have two clutches in a year . . . now I'm wondering if I'm not mistaking the Momma bird for a baby . . . if I have made this mistake I may be getting another clutch of phoebes which would be quite exciting for me (gotta love those insect catchers!)
    "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there is something more important than fear."

    "Death is only one of many ways to die."

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
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    Albion, Maine
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    Quote Originally Posted by firefighterjake View Post
    After doing some research I've read that phoebes may have two clutches in a year . . . now I'm wondering if I'm not mistaking the Momma bird for a baby . . . if I have made this mistake I may be getting another clutch of phoebes which would be quite exciting for me (gotta love those insect catchers!)
    Another sign of the times,,where did dad make off too? Did he flee to Florida?? Man oh man......although I do sympathize, TWO clutches,,he's definately old before his time and probably needed to retire to Florida.....
    There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.~~Albert Einstein
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Many wise words are spoken in jest, but they don't compare with the number of stupid words spoken in earnest. - Sam Levenson (1911 - 1980)

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